UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
FourWaysofKnowingUrbanEcology
TheFourWaysofKnowingUrbanEcologynotonlyprovideaconceptualknowledgebaseupon
which students can build, but also provide a framework for using and communicating that
knowledge.Wehave found theFourWays tobeahelpful guide forplanning learninggoals,
selectingmaterials,shapingactivities,andstructuringassessments.Theyalsoconnectverywell
tothenewandemergingskillsnecessarytoparticipateinscientificlifeinthe21stcentury.
Understanding Science provides the conceptual knowledge base for students to understand
science content. Understanding science in the 21st century requires that we integrate the
differentfieldsofscienceandconsiderthesocialaspectsofhowscientificunderstandingsare
acquired and applied.With this interdisciplinary approach,Understanding Scienceprovides a
solidframeworktohelpstudentsdevelopthe21stcenturyskillofsystemsthinking.
National Science FoundationDRK-12 Discovery Research Grant Award #1503519
U.S. Department of EducationNPD Grant Award #T365Z1201
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
ThegoalofDoingScience is toprovide studentswith inquiry-basedauthenticexperiencesof
conductingresearchsuchasdevelopingresearchquestionsandcollectingandanalyzingdata.
Through these experiences and activities, students develop a number of 21st century skills,
includingadaptingtothereal-worldconditionsofanoutdoorstudysiteorlaboratory,learning
anddevelopingnon-routineproblemsolvingskills,andself-managementandself-development
skillsinordertoconductresearchandcompleteanauthenticscientifictask.
TalkingScienceisanimportant,yetfrequentlyoverlooked,WayofKnowinginthe21stcentury.
Talkingscienceinvolveslearningtocommunicatescientificinformationdifferentlytodifferent
audienceswhilemaintainingfidelitytothefindingsandinterpretationsofscience.Thisincludes
learning to use scientific argumentation to make claims backed by evidence utilizing
appropriate scientific terms and concepts. This also includes learning to communicate
scientifically-based knowledge to a non-scientific audience, such as peers, community
members,andpolicymakers.Activitiessuchasroleplayingvariousparticipantsatacommunity
meetinginwhichanenvironmentalissueisdiscussedorengaginginscientificargumentationto
makethecase fora findingmade in the fieldareexamplesofTalkingScience.Suchactivities
helpstudentsdevelopcomplexcommunicationandsocialskills.
ActingonSciencebringsmanyofthe21stcenturyskillstogether.Therearemanywaystoact
onscience,but theactionplanning framework (Figure2) isonesystematicapproachthatwe
developedtoaddressthisWayofKnowingScience.Theactionplanningframeworkprovidesa
guided pathway for students to engage in having a positive impact in their school or
communities.
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
ActionPlanningFramework
The action planning framework starts with students gaining a deep and thorough
understandingofscientificprocessesandconcepts.Nextstudentsinvestigatethesitetheywish
toimproveusingsounddatacollectionmethodsaswellasenvisionwaysthesitecanimprove.
Studentsthenidentifythepeopleandstakeholderswhoneedtobeinvolvedintheprocessand
seekout resources, from tools andmaterials to peoplewho canhelp. Constructing concrete
andactionablestepstocompletetheprocessaswellasdeterminingmarkersofsuccessisthe
nextstageoftheprocess.Thelaststepoftheframeworkisimplementingtheplan,andputting
ideasintoaction.
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
ActionPlanningFramework
1. ScienceKnowledge:Whatdoweneedtoknowinordertounderstandthesite?What
science concepts and factsdoweneed todrawupon inorder towriteupour action
plan?
2. Investigate Site:What’s the site like now? You may use several different ways to
describethesite,throughthescientificdatayouwillbecollecting,writtendescriptions,
photographs,drawings,etc.
3. Envision Possibilities:How could your site be? Can it be maintained so that
environmentalandecologicalhealthissustained,orcanthesitebeimprovedtomake
the site even better for the ecological community, and the neighborhood around the
site?
4. Identify Stakeholders:Who’s involved?Who is impactedby theactionplan, andwho
needstoapproveit?Whoownsthesite?
5. IdentifyResources:Whatdoyouneedtomakeyourplanhappen?Whatmaterialsdo
youneed?Arethereanycommunityorcity-wideorganizationsoragencieswhomight
be able to help? Are there any companies, stores, or agencies which might donate
supplies,time,ormoney?
6. ConstructActionableSteps:Howareyougoingtomakeithappen?Whatcanbedone?
Whencanyoudoit?vii.MotivateandImplement:Ifyou’reable,motivateeveryoneto
getinvolved,andmakeithappen!
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
Working Through the Action Planning Framework
You and your research team must investigate your field site/habitat, record and analyze data, and recommend an action plan for sustaining or increasing biodiversity in your community. Your goal is to increase the biodiversity by altering current conditions. To do this you must use your knowledge of cities as systems and the needs of an urban ecosystem. To decide what should be done, you will create an action plan. Below is a figure of the components that make up an action plan.
♦ Science Knowledge- the scientific information needed to make changes ♦ Investigate Site and Envision Possibilities- goals for the site changes
♦ Identify Stakeholders- the people involved in the changes
♦ Identify Resources- materials needed to make changes
♦ Construct Actionable Steps- the process to make your planed changes
♦ Motivate and Implement Plan- making the changes happen
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
To brainstorm your ideas on how to manage sustain or increase biodiversity, answer the planning questions below. Remember: There is no “correct” answer. Each group may have a different plan. Science Knowledge: What science do I need to know? Investigate Site and Envision Possibilities: What can I change about my community to increase or sustain biodiversity? Identify Stakeholders: Who can help make changes in my city? Identify Resources: What resources are needed to make my changes? Construct Actionable Steps: What steps are needed for my action plan?
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
ForcesandDriversintheUrbanEcosystem
Pulses
Presses
SocialDrivers
BiophysicalDrivers
Socio-EcologicalSystem
Scientistsmeasurethehealthofthesesystemsbyinvestigatingprocesses,patterns,andchanges.
Resources&Services
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
FieldSiteCriteria
PhysicalObservationsofaSite
The bulk of the data that studentswill gather during the site surveywill be on the physical
aspectofthesite.Thisincludeswhatdoesislooklike,whatdoessoundlike,whatareanyother
unusualcharacteristicsaroundthesite.
Weather
Currentweather conditions are important in determining if events occurring at your site are
typical or circumstantial. A recent storm event or even just amoderate amount of rain can
affect the plants and animals along with river depth, width, and flow. Cold and/or cloudy
conditionscaninfluencethepresenceandactivityofplantsandanimals.
PlantsandAnimals
Humansalsohaveaneffectonthepresenceofspecificplantsandanimalsfoundinopenareas.
Fieldstudysiteswillvarydependinguponhowmuch landscapinghasbeendone in thearea.
Sitesmayvaryfrombeingwildandovergrowntobeinggarden-like.
TerrestrialHabitats
Therearemanydifferenthabitatsthatmakeupterrestrialenvironments.Habitatistheplaceor
typeofenvironmentwhereanorganismtypicallylives.Thesearedefinedbythepredominate
featuresofthearea.Forexample,foresthabitatsaredominatedbytreespecieswhilegrasses
dominateinfieldhabitats.
Trash
Trashispresentatmanysitesandshouldnotbeseenasadeterrenttoconductingecological
studies.Evenpristinesiteshavetrashintheformofsodabottlesthatfloatdownstreamora
plastic bag that has been snagged in a tree. Have students think about their own habits
regardingtrashandhowtrashcanaffectanarea,bothvisuallyandecologically.
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
FieldSiteCriteria
Pollution
No sites remainuntouchedbyhumans. Even those sites termedecologically pristine are not
free from human impact. Identifying sources of pollution at a field site will help answer
questions about behavior and distribution of the organisms found there. Some sources of
pollutionfoundoutsideoftheboundsofthesitemaystillhaveanimpactonthingswithinthe
site.Forexample,anindustrialpipeupstreammayhavealargeimpactonthestream’shealth.
Bestguessestimatesshouldbeusedtocompletethissection.
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
URBANECOLOGYFIELDSTUDYGUIDE
MAKINGANOBSERVATION DEVELOPINGAHYPOTHESIS
NAMINGTHEPROBLEM DEVELOPINGAFORMALRESEARCHQUESTION
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
SCIENCEACTIVITIESFORENGLISHLEARNERSUPPORT
1
SCIENCEINACTION
ROUTINE DESCRIPTION PURPOSE
UrbanEcologyFieldStudy
1. MakinganObservationEncourageyourstudentstoexaminethefieldsitewidelywithoutpreconceivednotionsorexpectations.Havestudentsfocusinononeormorepointsofinterest.
2. DevelopingaHypothesisSupportyourstudentsindevelopingalogicallinkbetweenwhattheyobservedandwhattheythinkishappening.
3. NamingtheProblemSupportyourstudentsindescribingtheissueorchallengesuccinctly.
4. DevelopingaResearchQuestionSupportyourstudentsincomingupwithatestableresearchquestionthatcanbeinvestigated.
• Engagestudentsinauthenticscientificinquiryexperiences.
• Fosterstudents’habitsofdevelopingtestableresearchquestionsbasedoninitialevidence.
• Familiarizestudentswiththepracticesofscienceprofessionalsatadevelopmentallyappropriatelevel.
FourWaysofKnowingScience
1. UnderstandingScience–Providetheconceptualknowledgebaseforstudentstounderstandsciencecontent.Thisisthecorecontentknowledgeassociatedwiththeactivity.
2. DoingScience–Providestudentswithinquiry-based,oftenhands-on,authenticexperiencesofconductingresearchsuchasdevelopingresearchquestionsandcollectingandanalyzingdata.
3. TalkingScience–Supportandencouragestudentsinusingscientificargumentation(makingclaimsbasedonevidenceandusingtheappropriatescientificterms
• Explicatethefullrangeofinquirypractices,i.e.drawingoncontentknowledge,hands-on,interactiveactivity,argumentationandexplanation,andimplementinginformedactionforchange.
• Extendthetraditionalbeliefsofscientificinquiryasonlyhands-on,
UrbanEcologyCurriculumforEnglishLearnersLoyolaMarymountUniversity|CenterforEquityforEnglishLearners(CEEL)&CenterforUrbanResilience(CURes)
SCIENCEACTIVITIESFORENGLISHLEARNERSUPPORT
2
SCIENCEINACTIONROUTINE DESCRIPTION
PURPOSE
andconcepts)andcommunicatingscientificinformationdifferentlytodifferentaudienceswhilemaintainingfidelitytothefindingsandinterpretationsofscience.
4. ActingonScienceSupportstudentsinusingtheirgrowingscientificunderstandingstomobilizepositivechangeintheirschoolsorcommunities.
student-ledactivity.
ActionPlanning
1. ScienceKnowledgeWhatdoweneedtoknow?Thescientificinformationneededtomakechanges.
2. InvestigateSiteandEnvisionPossibilitiesWhatisyoursitelikenowandwhatcouldyoursitebecome?Thegoalsforthesitechanges.
3. IdentifyStakeholdersWhoisinvolved?Thepeopleinvolvedinthechange-makingprocess?
4. IdentifyResourcesWhatdoyouneed?Thematerialsneededtomakechanges.
5. ConstructActionableStepsHowareyougoingtodoit?Theprocesstomakeyourplannedchanges.
6. MotivateandImplementPlanImplementtheplanandmakethechangeshappen.
• Scaffoldthemostnovelandambitiouscomponentofscientificinquiry(actingonscience)intodiscreetstepswithclarifiedquestionsofpurpose.